Apparatus for starting racers



(N o Model.)

E. FORBES. APPARATUS PGR STARTING RAUERS.

No. 481,260. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

UWM.

m: cams vnsns ce., moro-mko., wnsumurou, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWKIZN FORBES, OF FLATBUSH, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR STARTING RACERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 481,260, dated August23, 1892.

Application filed December 30, 1891. Serial No. 416,514. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN FORBES, of Flatbush, in the county of Queensand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inApparatus for Starting Racers, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention consists in a light fence, gate, or screen suspended froma swinging carrier, which is so operated and controlled in part by anautomatic lifting device and in part bythe starter that on the horses orother racers moving slowly toward it side by side it may be kept slowlymoving in the same direction by the said lifting device under thecontrol of the starter until the said racers are all in perfectalignment and then left under the control of said lifting device, to bethereby suddenly lifted clear out of the way.

Figure l represents a side view of the apparatus, partly in section,showing the fence, gate, or screen in position to commence bringing theracers into alignment. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a portion of therace-course, showing the apparatus in the position it assumes whenliberated after the racers have been brought into alignment.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A A are two standards arranged opposite each other, one on each side ofthe track of the race-course at or near the line whence the start isdesired to be made.

B C O D designate the swinging carrier, consisting of a horizontal shaftB, two parallel arms C C, secured on said shaft near the ends thereof,and a pivotor rod D, secured between the said arms. The shaft B is ttedto turn in bearings in the upper parts of the standards A A at such aheight that the racers may pass freely under the said shaft when the waybetween the standards is otherwise unobstructed.

E is the fence, gate, or screen, hereinafter termed gate, consisting ofa light frame, upon which is stretched any suitable light fabric,preferably light wire-netting. This gate is suspended at its upper edgeby loops or hangers c from the rod D of the carrier, so that it willhang vertically from said rod in all positions which the carrier mayassume in its swinging movement.

On one end of the shaft B there is secured a pulley F, over which passesa rope b, to one end of which,depending from one side of the pulley, isattached the automatic lifting device, which in the example representedis a weight G, though it is obvious that a spring connecting the end ofthe said rope at a suitable fixed point might be the equivalent of theweight. The other part of the rope depending from the other side of thepulley passes under a guide-pulley c and thence to a controllingapparatus, as a windlass H, on the starters stand I, which is somedistance forward of the standards A A.

A stationary cushion or spring-buffer J is represented as applied underthe weight G to take up the concussion produced by the fall of theweight. A guide d is represented in Fig. l as applied to guide theweight in its ascent and descent, and a stop f, which may consist of asteel spring, is represented in Fig. 2 on the post A to act incombination with a downward or rearward extension of one of the arms Cof the carrier to steady the carrier and Vgate when they have beenthrown up to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: When at rest, the weightis on the cushion J and the arms of the carrier O are directed upwardfrom the shaft F, as shown in Fig. 2 and in dotted outline in Fig. l. Atother times than during the starting of a race the weight Gr rests uponthe cushion J, and the arms of the carrier are turned upward, as shownin Fig. 2 and in dotted outline in Fig. l, so that the gate hangssuspended above the When the start is to be made, the starter, by vmeansof the windlass H or controlling device, winds up or draws in the ropeb, raising the weight Gr and turning the carrier in the direction of thearrow 3 until the gate is brought to a position in rear of the standardsAA', as shown in bold outline in Fig. 1. The racers are then brought upto the gate as nearly as practicable in alignment with each other. Thestarter then slowly lets out the rope b and allows the weight to descendand turn the carrier in the direction of the arrow 4 un shaft, leavingthe way clear under the shaft.

til the racers are all brought into exact alignment for starting, whenthe starter releases the controlling device or Windlass H, and theWeight G, falling suddenly, continues the movement of the carrier in thedirection of the arrow 4, and in an imperceptibly small space of timethrows the gate up to the elevated position above the shaft, leaving theWay open.

It will be understood that this apparatus is applicable to startinghorses for either running or trotting races, and, in fact, may be usedfor starting any racers Whatever.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination, in an apparatus for starting races, of aswingin gcarrier and stand ards containin g bearings therefor, a gate sus- EDVINFORBES.

W'i tn esses FREDK. I-IAYNES, GEORGE BARRY.

